Coach,
My point entirely. Kids want to win. Parents want to win, as well. But winning 4th grade basketball could mean you have one player who can make a steal then make the layup. But if that player doesn't learn how to use his teammates in the halfcourt, how to create his own shot, work with teammates to beat the press, the 4th grade championship is his highlight.

Coach,
Where I'm at, I see a push by parents to play more and more games? Do you see the same? I'm totally against this. Bad individual habits and team mistakes get imbedded when a team plays 3, 4 or more games without practices to fix problems. This is one reason that I've backed off 15+ years of coaching (I still have my daughter's team) and more officiating.

I wish you'd been around when my daughter was playing....

juulie
Not only would I have had to be coaching girls ball then, I would have had to change Washingtons :)

wizard
I coach a team that, by virtue of being in an AAU club, plays an insane amount of games. We played about 80 per year before they reached HS this year, with about 2 practices per week over an 8 month period. Whenever practice time dips, playing level dips as well. I think we learn a lot from playing a lot of games in the spring season, but only if we are practicing in between to address weaknesses.

And I tried to run a fall of "practice - no play," parents strongly vetoed it. They wanted their kids in a league. So I still did player development, ran no offense and man defense only, no press, and we predictably lost all but 2 games (how'd we win 2 - it's a miracle!). But we are a lot better now, because we spent the fall learning how to play basketball. What a concept.

Coach,
I have NO IDEA how you played so many games in a year, with girls! My experience has been that boys play mostly what is in season. But many girls are in two different sports not to mention dance, etc. at the same time. Some can handle the load but most just get by. Good luck!

Not sure where you are, but round here girls play starting in September (fall leagues and a couple tournaments), continue through winter with school teams (HS and some MS) and travel leagues (MS and younger), then start AAU in the Spring. When my team was in MS, we did about 20 games in the fall between league and three tournaments, 25 games in the winter (league play and playoffs) with my girls also playing 8 MS games, and 40 games in the spring/summer. Last year we went to a national tournament in the summer as well.

Lots of ball. But we did run two practices per week and spent loads of time on fundamentals. I tend to focus on how to play the game rather than how to run plays in games.

Sounds like you're not competing with the "dreaded' soccer. That's a year-round monster!

As a Mariners fan, I personally believe that winning is WAYYYYYY overrated this year...(very heavy sigh)...

As a resident of the DC area (home of the Capitals, Wizards, and Redskins - listed in no particular rank order of rankness), I share your opinion of winning. If we waited for wins to buy a paper, we'd read the sports section once every two weeks - and thats only if two teams are in season at the same time.

If your Deadskins didn't play the Cowboys twice a year, you might actually win a game. Boys own the Skins!:D:D

Red Wings move to Round two.
#3 Pistons start playoffs today.
Lions get #6 pick next weekend.
Tigers are 7-4.
:)

Believe me, I wish I was back in Detroit. Didn't even get the Wings game on ABC here - had to watch the hated Devils go down like the dogs they are.

Lah, me, Rock. We're only 10 games into the season. Nothing serious ever starts until September 1st. You know that. Leave the <i>angst</i> to the BoSox fans. Hell, the Yanks are sub-.500 right now. Do you see them panicking? Weeeell,maybe if they lose today, they might. Of course, all George'll do then is something like go out and buy the K.C. Royals, and then sift through them to see what he needs on an interim basis. Or maybe move up Randy Johnson's purchase a month or two.